The Power inside You
Main Text: Acts 2:1-4
Introduction: God’s fullness and power is like pulling the trigger-which only the Holy Spirit can do. God is asking you to be expectant today! Prepare your spirit soul and body as He is ready to pour His spirit upon you and endue you with power from on high for His glory.
Functions of the Holy Spirit
In the Old Testament, there are two primary functions of the Holy Spirit: Power and Purification. Power is the ability to do or act; capability of doing or accomplishing something. However, in the OT, the exercise of this power was limited to select individuals and for a relatively brief period of time for a specific purpose (such as prophesy, deliverance, conquest, etc). See Judges 14:19, 15:14 and 2 Chronicles 20:14. The OT looked forward to a time when the Messiah would bring about a new age when all would receive be empowered to do God’s work. (Joel 2:28-32). Thank God we’re in that age today. The purpose of the Holy Spirit for purification could be illustrated by how, in Ezekiel 36:25-27, Prophet Ezekiel described a new age where God would transform the hearts of His people by His own Spirit living in each individual. This is the new age when we as individuals and as a body of Christ has become the temple of the Holy Spirit 1 Corinthians 6:19
The events of the day of Pentecost ushered in this new era (Acts 2: 1-4) as confirmed by different Bible teachings of the Holy Spirit. Paul’s teachings on the Holy Spirit largely emphasised the Spirit’s inner-transforming and purifying work, leading to salvation (1 Corinthians 12:13) while Luke emphasised the Spirit’s role in empowering the believer for service. (Luke 24:49). The book of Acts uses several expressions to describe the baptism in the Holy Spirit: Baptised in the Spirit, Spirit coming, or falling, upon, Spirit poured out, Promise of the Father, Gift of the Spirit, Receiving the Spirit, Filled with the Spirit. So whether it was Paul, Luke or Jesus talking about the Holy Spirit, the central theme that ran through all their teachings was the power of the third person of the Trinity.
So, why was the early church able to effectively harvest the power of the Holy Spirit?
1. Whole-hearted devotion
There can be no real power with half-heartedness. God does not bless half-hearted service, or partial obedience. Jesus says love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind. There is no room for half heatedness. If we limit God in our lives, His power will not be available to us in its fullness. In other words, when we tell God that He can only have so much of our lives, or he can only go into certain areas of our hearts, we will be unable to have all of him. Don’t limit God in your life, church, in your relationships. Whole-hearted devotion to God will result in His Work having priority and this in turn makes us command the fullness of His power.
2. Unity among Believers Acts 1:14, 2:1
The disciples were all in one accord. 100, not 99 per cent being aware that disunity takes the power of God away. Satan tries hard, and oftentimes succeeds in bringing disharmony in the church. In Mark 5: 9-10 where Jesus met the man with unclean spirit living in tombs, the man who could not be bound, who tore chains from his hands and legs, Jesus asked his name and he said his name was Legion, “for we are many.” Glory be to God! A legion is a division of the Roman army, usually comprising 3000 to 6000 soldiers. And soldiers are always disciplined, even unto death; they are united in purpose and action. This tells me that demons are always united, thinking alive, planning the same way, working in one accord and doing things the same way! Unfortunately, the Body of Christ today is so fragmented, Baptists are fighting against Protestants, Anglicans can’t see eye to eye with Presbyterians, Methodists are arguing with Evangelicals! How good and pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity (Psalm 133:1)
3. Prioritising the Word of God Ac 1:16, 2:15-36, 42
In Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), he referred to different passages in the scriptures and it brought about the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and people got saved. Without the Word, there is no power. Eph 5:25 tells us that Christ gave Himself for the church to make it holy by the washing of the Word and the early church taught and preached the undiluted Word of God, with the clear message of salvation, unlike what is happening in many churches today where what comes from the pulpit is has more affinity with the word of Satan than the Word of God!
4. Effectual Prayer Acts 1:14; 2:42
Repeatedly we see two phrases “and they prayed” and “and when they prayed.” They prayed for themselves, others, enemies, guidance, healing, wisdom, leaders. They prayed on the streets, in houses, on rooftops, on the shore, in the boat and in the Temple. They prayed specifically at the ninth hour and at midnight and everything in between. They prayed individually, in small and large groups. Their prayer brought unity and their unity brought increase and multiplication “and the Lord added to the church.”
5. The fulfilment of God’s promise Acts 1:4-8; 2:1-4
See John 14:16, 26. There is something exciting about knowing that God keeps His Word. God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil? (Numbers 23:19) For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God (2 Corinthians 1:20)
What happens when we receive God’s power through the Holy Spirit, that is, what are the Primary functions of the HS in the NT
1. The Holy Spirit gives us confidence and boldness even under Pressure
In Act 4, Peter has just been thrown in prison with John by the religious leaders for healing in the name of Jesus but the next day the same Peter who was meant to be broken by his prison experience spoke with confidence and boldness Acts 4:8-13. That could only be accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. The Holy Spirit gives us Revelation Knowledge
Peter and the other disciples did not display any real insight into the Scriptures in relation to the mission of Jesus before day of Pentecost but once filled with the Spirit, Peter shows amazing insight as he relates the day’s events to passages from Joel, Psalms, Deuteronomy and Genesis. Revelation knowledge is the ability to understand the true meaning of Scripture as given by revelation of the Holy Spirit. In Luke 24:25 Jesus opened the understanding of the disciples, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
3. The HS brings about Inspired Speech
When we speak the Holy Spirit supplies the words. God says I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. (Psalms 81:10) He did the same for Moses (Ex 4:10-11) for Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:6-9) while there are several examples in the book of Acts.
PURPOSE OF THIS POWER: What do we do with it?
Do we profit by selling prophesies? Should we be making money by foretelling events? Certainly not! It is
1. To live for Jesus by resisting the devil and doing God’s will in prayers, worship, and in righteous living;
2. To witness for Jesus (Mark 16:15);
3. To work miracles for Jesus in His name ...anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (Jn. 14:12)See (Mk. 16:17-18)
4. To preach with signs following, convicting the heart of people and making them believe in the good news, for the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. (1 Cor. 4:20)
Conclusion
You may think today’s gathering at Abounding Faith Ministries is a usual one, but God asked me to inform you not to forsake the usual, be faithful in it, and He will make us a showcase, a sample to the world. Open your mouth and I will fill it He said, what you have not done before go ahead and do it because I am giving you power to launch you out in this ministry. I will work through your imperfection and weakness. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is not a luxury but a complete necessity for all leaders at AFM. As you here today, this is the beginning of a new spiritual experience for you all, as power is being distributed, not by pastor, but by the Holy Spirit!
